One of the biggest challenges faced by online retailers is dead stock, meaning products that don’t get sold. Dead stock takes up space, saps resources, and erodes profits. This article explores the different types of dead stock, how they’re caused, […]
You might hear the following terms used interchangeably: fulfillment center, warehouse, distribution center, and third-party logistics (3PL). While there is some overlap, each of these terms has a distinct meaning. Here’s what you need to know when comparing a fulfillment […]
First in, first out — or FIFO — is an inventory management practice where the oldest stock goes to fill orders first. That way, the first stock purchased/received is the first to leave. FIFO is also an accounting principle, but […]
Innovative eCommerce fulfillment providers have been looking for better ways to measure and charge for warehouse storage. A volumetric storage model accurately measures the space your goods actually use, so the industry is moving toward this more precise method for […]
Cross-docking can help your eCommerce company streamline its fulfillment processes, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce order fulfillment cycle time. This post explains the cross-docking process, how it works with full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) inbound shipments, and how cross-docking […]
Which is better? Floor loading vs palletizing? Many ecommerce companies don’t get involved in the taskwork of loading and unloading shipping containers. That’s one of the benefits of outsourcing fulfillment to a 3PL, but the decision between using floor loaded […]
Products with low inventory turnover rates can increase your storage and holding costs, leave you saddled with obsolete stock, and place a drag on your business growth. The first step to solving the problem is understanding how to identify slow-moving […]
The question of depot vs. warehouse is often one of semantics. What matters most is finding the right partner to meet your needs and help you grow. A depot can be a warehouse type, but that’s not how the term […]
Here’s the raw reality: warehouses don’t typically love receiving floor-loaded shipments. Why? Because unloading floor-loaded containers is much more complicated, time-consuming, and hazardous than receiving palletized stock. That said, there are times when floor stacking is the best (or only) […]
Accurate stock counts are critical to the efficient operation of your business. An inventory discrepancy introduced during eCommerce fulfillment can throw off your demand forecasts and lead to unexpected out-of-stock items. Here are the most common causes of inventory discrepancies […]
When thinking about the fulfillment process, the generalized steps are receiving inventory, storage, order picking, order packing, shipping, delivery, and returns. Any well-established 3PL knows this and makes sure that these steps are optimized. However, the most important step is […]
The warehouse associate role is perhaps the most important to any warehouse operation. These professionals are responsible for moving inventory and orders at every point. Without them, and perhaps without you, everything would grind to a halt. But it can […]
